[dwc13]

I know that this doesn't matter to TV, but does it matter to fans here?

To me, the ACC seems like a better fit for Stanford. North Carolina's and Virginia's broad and successful array of sports is much more similar to Stanford's than those of any team in the Big Ten. Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, and Virginia are much more similar to Stanford academically and in terms of mission than any team in the Big Ten other than Northwestern. Yes, I know Michigan has good academics, but it's more Big State U that I compare more to Texas than Stanford or Cal.

Does anyone agree with my assessment? If so, does it matter to anyone?

No members of the group you listed as "much more similar" to Stanford -- Duke, UNC (Chapel Hill), Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and UVA -- are land grant universities. Not surprisingly, Stanford isn't one, either. Interestingly, Cal is a land grant university (as are UofA, Oregon State and Washington State in the Pac 12).

Of the 15 current ACC universities, only 3 are land grant: Clemson, NC State and Virginia Tech. 

Of the 14 current Big Ten universities, only 4 are *not* land grant: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Northwestern.

[dwc13]

I know that this doesn't matter to TV, but does it matter to fans here?

To me, the ACC seems like a better fit for Stanford. North Carolina's and Virginia's broad and successful array of sports is much more similar to Stanford's than those of any team in the Big Ten. Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, and Virginia are much more similar to Stanford academically and in terms of mission than any team in the Big Ten other than Northwestern. Yes, I know Michigan has good academics, but it's more Big State U that I compare more to Texas than Stanford or Cal.

Does anyone agree with my assessment? If so, does it matter to anyone?

No members of the group you listed as "much more similar" to Stanford -- Duke, UNC (Chapel Hill), Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and UVA -- are land grant universities. Not surprisingly, Stanford isn't one, either. Interestingly, Cal is a land grant university (as are UofA, Oregon State and Washington State in the Pac 12).

Of the 15 current ACC universities, only 3 are land grant: Clemson, NC State and Virginia Tech. 

Of the 14 current Big Ten universities, only 4 are *not* land grant: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Northwestern.